proposed laws

PA Bill Number: HB777

Title: In firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for definitions and providing for the offense of sale of firearm or firearm parts without ...

Description: In firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for definitions and providing for the offense of sale of firearm or firearm parts without ...

Last Action: Third consideration and final passage (104-97)

Last Action Date: Mar 27, 2024

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Peduto: I'll defend gun proposals to Supreme Court :: 02/14/2019

Mayor Bill Peduto remained defiant in his support of the city’s proposed gun restrictions a day after they were pilloried at a special fact-finding meeting, saying Wednesday that he’s willing to fight any lawsuit against the city as high as the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The ability to preempt cities from being able to protect their people I think would end up in the state Supreme Court, and the ability for us to put reasonable restrictions, well-regulated restrictions on guns, I think could possibly end up in federal Supreme Court,” he said. “We’ve had two, possibly three different firms that have offered pro-bono assistance” in defending the proposals should they become city ordinances.

Mr. Peduto said that if the city is sued over passing any of the gun-control measures, he intends to use the city’s Law Department to fight it but is “not going to turn down free legal assistance [from] people who work specifically in this field … nonprofit organizations that do it on a national basis.”

Mr. Peduto’s comments came after Pittsburgh Councilwoman Darlene Harris hosted six opponents of the proposed laws at the special meeting, called a post agenda, for city council members.

The nearly two-and-a-half-hour meeting Tuesday featured a panel of guests, several who had already spoken out against the city’s proposed gun regulations on Twitter, at the city’s public hearing and through news media.

“I think it would have been more informational for council if they had some of the organizations that supported it, some that were neutral, some that opposed,” the mayor said. “But council is an independent legislative body, and they can choose whoever they want to speak.”

Mr. Peduto supports the three proposed bills that would ban certain firearms, accessories and ammunition within city limits as well as put in place a procedure to allow people to petition the courts to remove weapons from family or household members threatening to harm themselves or others.

Council members Corey O’Connor and Erika Strassburger introduced the bills in conjunction with the mayor’s office roughly seven weeks after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill.

“I was looking for something a little bit different,” Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith said regarding the special meeting.

Ms. Kail-Smith removed her name from the proposed package of gun-control laws and said she remains undecided on how she will vote.

Ms. Harris’ office paid $797 from its discretionary budget to fly John R. Lott, Jr., an economist whose research has supported gun rights, and founder of the nonprofit Crime Prevention Research Center, to present at the meeting.

Council President Bruce Kraus said it is commonplace for council to pay travel expenses for speakers at special hearings.

Mr. Lott’s publications — with which Ms. Harris said she is not familiar — include “The War on Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun-Control Lies” and “More Guns, Less Crime,” among several other books and articles.

“I didn’t see [the speakers] as opponents,” Ms. Harris said. “I just thought they were giving feedback on mental health and statistics.”

Carl Moody, economics professor at William & Mary College, is listed as Mr. Lott's organization's research director. He could not be reached via email or phone Wednesday.

Charles Gallo, a psychologist who practices in Monroeville, participated on the panel and spoke on Elizabeth Kubler Ross’ “12 Stages of Grief” — as it related to crafting gun-control measures after a tragedy — and advocated teaching a “survival mindset” to people who may find themselves in an active shooter situation. He also spoke at length on a hypothesis that links psychotropic medication and gun violence, citing a publication called “Medication Madness” by physician Peter R. Breggin.

He and several speakers ascribed responsibility for gun violence to the media.

Ms. Kail-Smith and Mr. Kraus both said they wanted more explanation regarding sources of information presented.

“I wanted to know the possible impact of enforcement on the African-American community. I wanted to know, do experts see a true decline in mass shootings or homicides in general in places where gun laws are enacted? I wanted to know from the DA’s office whether there was any piece in front of us that we could vote on, or whether we could amend something, or [have] suggestions on the wording,” Ms. Kail-Smith said.

Ms. Harris said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation declined an invitation by Ms. Kail-Smith. Ms. Kail-Smith denied that claim. Pittsburgh FBI spokeswoman Catherine Policicchio said the agency was not aware of an invitation to the event.

Allegheny County Deputy District Attorney Ron Wabby represented law enforcement on the panel and reiterated a message delivered from District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. in a Feb. 9 letter to Mr. O’Connor.

“Quite simply, there is an issue of state preemption,” Mr. Wabby said. “State law says that no municipality can pass an ordinance like this.”

Council is expected to introduce amendments and vote in the coming weeks.

Ms. Harris said she has not decided how she will vote.

Ashley Murray: amurray@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1750 or on Twitter at @Ashley__Murray.

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2019/02/13/Peduto-gun-laws-state-U-S-Supreme-Court-Darlene-Harris-John-Lott/stories/201902130155